Austin Appleby Reportedly Transfers to Florida: Details, Comments and Reaction

The Florida Gators may have acquired a quarterback they hope will revitalize their stagnant offense, as Purdue’s Austin Appleby has reportedly transferred to Gainesville, per Landon Watnick of Rivals.com on Monday.  

Appleby started five games in 2015, including the final two, but was benched midway through September in favor of redshirt freshman David Blough.

He only regained the job after Blough was limited with an injury and then started the Boilermakers' final two games.    

In parts of three seasons, Appleby compiled 2,777 yards with a 55.2 percent completion rate, 19 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

The Gators went 10-3 and won the SEC East under first-year head coach Jim McElwain, remaining relevant in the conversation for the College Football Playoff well through November.

But their pitfall was offense, and it eventually caught up with them as the Gators lost three of their final four contests, including a 41-7 drumming at the hands of Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day.

The season’s turning point came in October, when the NCAA suspended starting quarterback Will Grier for the 2015 season for performance-enhancing drug use, and the Gators struggled mightily against formidable defenses behind backup Treon Harris.  

Florida should be favored to reach the SEC Championship Game again in 2016, but it’ll need an offensive spark to contend against heavyweights from the SEC West such as Alabama and LSU.

But to do so with a backup quarterback from a Purdue team that went 2-10 seems lofty.

Georgia showed last year behind Virginia transfer Greyson Lambert that such transitions to the nation’s toughest conference aren’t seamless. The Bulldogs' offensive struggles—many of which can be rooted in Lambert—played a direct factor in the firing of 15-year head coach Mark Richt.

Florida already has a hard commitment from Feleipe Franks—the nation’s No. 3 pro-style quarterback, per 247Sports' composite rankings—so it’ll have inexperienced depth to work with.

The Gators hired McElwain for his offense, and while 2015 was remarkably unimpressive, he has a track record of developing talent that puts up points. Perhaps he saw that potential in Appleby since he apparently agreed to bring him in.